ANDEAN CULTURES
Nasca
Chavín de Huántar
The first great art style of the geographical
area that is now Peru was that of the
civilization that flourished at Chavín de
Huántar in the northern highlands. A more
or less contemporaneous culture of the
north coast produced a style of pottery
known as Cupisnique.
Chavín de Huántar Textile
Nacional de Anthropologia y Arqueologia, Lima
Paracas
After the Chavín style declined in power,
other regional styles developed. Paracas,
and later Nasca, emerged on the South
Coast while the Moche developed on the
North Coast.
Mantle fragment with Falcon Impersonators
Nacional de Anthropologia y Arqueologia, Lima
The Nasca culture flourished thoughout
several river valleys on the South Coast of
Peru, south of the Paracas, from 100 BC to
AD 600. the Nasca lived in a loosely
organized group of villages or clans, with a
ceremonial center at Cahuachi. Nasca
emerged from the Paracas traditions, but
developed its own artistic vision.
Nasca Vessel
Nacional de Anthropologia y Arqueologia, Lima
Moche
The Moche culture dominated the area
from the Lambayeque to Huamey Valleys
for the first 500 years AD. As the Moche
state expanded to the south, they
conquered additional valleys to acquire
level land for cultivation and to gain control
over the irrigation water from the
mountain rivers.
Moche Portrait Head Vessel
The Art Institute, Chicago
Tiwanaku and Wari
The Tiwanaku and Wari styles share a
common religious background and a similar
iconography, though the two states were
not geographically close. Wari originated
on the Central Peruvian highlands and
Tiwanaku near the shores of Lake Titicaca
in what is now Bolivia.
Chancay
The Chancay culture extended over four
valleys—Chillon, Huara, Rimac and
Chancay—on Peru’s Central Coast, near
modern Lima. The region was comprised
of peaceful farming and merchant
communities.
Ancient net-making
traditions of coastal fishermen developed
into the delicate openwork technique.
Chancay Falsehead Textile
Nacional de Anthropologia y Arqueologia, Lima
Beaker (Kero) Modeled Feline Head
Tiwanaku
Museo de Metales Preciosos Precolombinos, La
Paz
Wari Vessel
National Museum of Archaeology and History,
Lima
Chimu
The kingdom of Chimor (now called
Chimu), with its capital city of Chan Chan,
once extended along the entire North
Coast of Peru and much of the Central
Coast, down to the current location of
Lima. Although the Incas conquered the
Chimu in the 1400s, their style continued
until the Spanish invasion.
Chimu Textile
Nacional de Anthropologia y Arqueologia, Lima